Skip to content

Pope Francis Appoints Austin, Texas, Bishop Joe Vásquez as Archbishop of Galveston-Houston

Pope Francis named Austin Bishop Joe Vásquez to replace 75-year-old Cardinal Daniel DiNardo as head of the Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston.

In an important move for the Catholic Church in Texas on Monday, Pope Francis named Austin Bishop Joe Vásquez to replace 75-year-old Cardinal Daniel DiNardo as head of the Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston.

DiNardo, who was made a cardinal in 2007 and who led the U.S. bishops’ conference as president from 2016–2019, turned 75 — the standard retirement age for Catholic bishops — in May 2024.

The 67-year-old Vásquez is returning to the Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston, where he served as an auxiliary bishop from 2002–2010. The bishop is coming back to the archdiocese almost exactly 15 years after moving 160 miles to the northwest to lead the Diocese of Austin.

The Mexican-American bishop also served as apostolic administrator of the Diocese of Tyler from November 2023 to December 2024, after Pope Francis removed Bishop Joseph Strickland. 

The Metropolitan Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston serves 1.7 million Catholics in 146 parishes across 10 counties in southeastern Texas. Houston is the fourth-largest city in the U.S.

According to the archdiocese, the local Church is multicultural, with members coming from every continent. Liturgies are held in 14 different languages.

Vásquez, whose seminary education included five years in Rome studying at the Pontifical Gregorian University, was ordained a priest for the Diocese of San Angelo in 1984.

He grew up the oldest of six children in the small town of Stamford in west-central Texas.

Vásquez has served as a consultant to the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops’ Committee on Pro-Life Activities and as lead bishop for Region X for the V National Encounter for Hispanic/Latino Ministry (V Encuentro).

This article was originally published on Catholic News Agency.

SIGN UP FOR OUR NEWSLETTER HERE

Receive the most important news from EWTN Vatican via WhatsApp. It has become increasingly difficult to see Catholic news on social media. Subscribe to our free channel today

Share

Would you like to receive the latest updates on the Pope and the Vatican

Receive articles and updates from our EWTN Newsletter.

More news related to this article

Pope Leo XIV allows outside banks to manage Holy See investments

Pope Leo XIV has permitted the Holy See’s main financial body to use financial institutions outside the Vatican

Pope Francis Engages with Young People in New Podcast Ahead of World Youth Day 2023

In anticipation of the upcoming World Youth Day, Pope Francis is actively listening to various testimonies from young people in a captivating new podcast.

Pope Francis offers condolences after 69 die in Nepal plane crash

Pope Francis offered his condolences after at least 69 people died in a plane crash in Nepal on

Vaticano Update: Top 5 Vatican news stories of the week

Pope Francis meets Diplomatic Corps   On January 9th, Pope Francis met with members of the Diplomatic Corps accredited

Pope Francis Advises Youth Not to Sacrifice Their Youth for Superficial Pleasures

Pope Francis has addressed a message to the youth participating in the 46th European Meeting organized by the Taizé Community, currently taking place in Slovenia.

Pope Francis donates relic of the true cross for King Charles’ coronation

A fragment on the true cross on which Jesus was condemned to death.

LIVE
FROM THE VATICAN

Be present live on EWTN.it